Following months of uncertainty, it’s been doubly good news for Blayney Parish and the wider Anglican Diocese of Bathurst, with two new appointments made in quick succession. This follows the move earlier this year of parish priest the Rev Wally Cox and his family from Christ Church, Blayney, to frosty Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, where he is now rector of St Paul’s Anglican Church. Energetic Anglican Bishop of Bathurst Mark Caulder – who led a diocese covering virtually all of western NSW – also retired in mid-September, farewelled at a packed service at All Saints’ Cathedral in Bathurst. Both have now been replaced. The new bishop hails from the Apple Isle, while a deacon from Sydney’s leafy north shore will move to Blayney with his young family to fill the vacancy there.

The new bishop will be the Venerable Dr Stephen Carnaby, who serves in Hobart as director of ministry development for the Anglican Diocese of Tasmania. In a letter to parishioners on the appointment, diocesan administrator, Andrew Thornhill, said the new head of the local church is a lifelong Taswegian who is married to Joanne and has two adult children, a cavoodle named Rupert, and a love of soccer, golf, and reading. “He served in ordained ministry across churches in regional Tasmania and Hobart for 18 years, with his experience including church revitalisation, planting new congregations, children’s, youth, and families’ ministry, and general pastoral work,” the letter stated. “He recently was awarded a Doctor of Ministry degree from Ridley College (Melbourne) with a thesis title: ‘From Decline to Renewal in a Regional Diocese: An Analysis of Revitalised Parishes in the Anglican Diocese of Tasmania in the 21st century’,” Mr Thornhill wrote.

Dr Carnaby’s installation as the 12th Bishop of Bathurst will take place at All Saints’ Cathedral in January next year. Also starting early next year is the Rev Julian Yin, who brings a strong focus on growing congregations and will take the reins in early February of the parish covering Blayney, Millthorpe, Trunkey Creek, and Barry. He has spent about eight years ministering at the Bridge Church in Kirribilli, where growing the youth ministry was his major focus. He and his wife, Emma, have two young children, Imogen and Reuben.

“Julian and Emma have both grown up in Sydney, where Emma trained and worked as a social worker, but is now a family photographer,” Mr Thornhill wrote in a separate letter to parishioners. “Julian’s background is in advertising and marketing, and they all enjoy time in the outdoors, running, cycling, and camping,” he added. Mr Yin and his family made a quick trip to the parish to attend services in recent weeks and are looking forward to the move. “The whole family is excited to minister and serve in the Blayney parish, to see many know, love, and share Jesus for life,” Mr Yin said.

Fill-in ministers, including the Rev Linda Boss and the Rev Bob Cameron, are sharing duties in the parish until his arrival. They are also likely to serve or bless communion until Mr Yin is formally appointed a full minister of the church.